How much magnification needed..?

[Maverick1911]

I am with you. I have a more than a couple of 20 power scopes and a couple 25 power. They make a difference shooting prone at 600 yards. Also the 25 power sure does make it easy to pick shots out on paper under 200 yards.

Johnny, having both 20 and 25x scopes...do you notice the difference at let's say 600 yards and out with the 25x over the 20x? And, is 25x enough at 800 or 1000 to see a 12 inch gongs or a milk jug sized target?

 

[jakerz]

Alpha class glass at 10x trumps cheap glass at 25x anyday.

Couldn't agree more. That being said, I wouldn't spend the extra cash on the extra magnification. Spend it on nicer rings or a better base. Or a better trigger.

 

[swampratt]

aeropb stated...Find it hard to believe anyone not shooting BR needs above 15x.

I hunt some area's with pipe lines or clear cuts with electric poles overhead and a couple small coyotes made fun of me at 800 yards.
I get "window" shots a lot of the time.
Best was 340 paces across a sandy beach type area and up 45 yards into the brush.. is was in the brush myself.
All i could see that was a clear kill shot through the sticks was 8 square inches of clear open area..I watched it for a couple minutes walking through the thick brush and figured if it got into that clear 8" spot i got my deer.

Well i cranked the scope to 10 power it goes to 16 but not clear at 16..clear at 14.5. I dropped that deer on the spot.

At further ranges i would feel better with more magnification but it needs to be clear.
I crank my scope to 14.5 all the time to shoot birds at 250 yards+.
I wish i had more magnification then..as 250 yards is my set limit on them birds with my scope.

Maybe just better glass and same magnification will do it..but i feel if i step up i want better glass and more magnification at the same time.
Maybe that is why some people want 18-20 or 25 power scopes shoot through those little windows at long ranges

 

[Johnny]

Johnny, having both 20 and 25x scopes...do you notice the difference at let's say 600 yards and out with the 25x over the 20x? And, is 25x enough at 800 or 1000 to see a 12 inch gongs or a milk jug sized target?

Yes there is a noticeable difference at 600 yards. However there is also a difference between the 20x Nikon Monarch and the 20x Zeiss Conquest. The Zeiss is just plain better glass and makes objects clearer. The 20x or the 25x is more than enough to make out milk jugs at 600 yards. You wont be able to read the writing on the jugs but you can tell the difference between say a 2 liter bottle and a milk jug. I haven't shot either of those scopes past 600. I don't see a 12" gong being a problem at 800 or a 1000 as long as you have good quality glass.

Dennishoddy and Mo boost on here shoot plenty enough long range to give good advice and are the two I generally listen to. They have never steered me wrong and have definitely put me in my place a time or two.

 

[Maverick1911]

Yes there is a noticeable difference at 600 yards. However there is also a difference between the 20x Nikon Monarch and the 20x Zeiss Conquest. The Zeiss is just plain better glass and makes objects clearer. The 20x or the 25x is more than enough to make out milk jugs at 600 yards. You wont be able to read the writing on the jugs but you can tell the difference between say a 2 liter bottle and a milk jug. I haven't shot either of those scopes past 600. I don't see a 12" gong being a problem at 800 or a 1000 as long as you have good quality glass.

Dennishoddy and Mo boost on here shoot plenty enough long range to give good advice and are the two I generally listen to. They have never steered me wrong and have definitely put me in my place a time or two.

I originally had a zeiss conquest 6.5x-20x on my ar15 that I used for a sniper class....the glass was crystal clear but the mildot system on the reticle was set up to work for ranging at 10x magnification. I ended up finding that since I wanted to use the power setting at its highest at 20x I had to half my measurements and it became a real pain. Plus, the mildots ended up covering my targets at long range. I switched to the Leupold Mark 4 LR/T with the TMR reticle. The glass is every bit as clear and the reticle is soooo much easier to use for calculations and distance shots. I am thinking the same scope in the 8.5x-25x magnification for the .308 will be the ticket.

 

[Johnny]

That would be a nice scope. I have never shot through too many Higher end leupolds. I hope it works out for you.

 

[Thorgrim]

I've shot at Badlands up to 1000 yds. using my .308 and a Leupy MKIV 3.5x10-40 TMR . I could see my hits on a 4"x5" flapper at 900 yds with the scope. I do prefer my NF 3.5x15-50 R1 scope. When the mirage is really going, high magnification is not needed.

 

[turkeyrun]

6.5x20 on my Rem 700 .223 and LOVE IT. Rarely shoot over400 yrds, but that 20x comes in hand with small targets (turtle heads).

Way back in my college days, deer hunted with an old man ('70s) who used and old Win thutty thutty with open sights. Asked him about using a scope and he says, "Tried one once, made the rifle top heavy and wobbly."